The clock struck midnight.

Kentucky’s Cinderella start ended with a dramatic 20-14 overtime loss Saturday at Texas A&M.

Kentucky took possession first in overtime. On third down, Terry Wilson took a critical sack and Miles Butler’s 43-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar.

Texas A&M won it when Trayveon Williams hurdled a defender for a touchdown on the Aggies’ ensuing possession.

Before Saturday night, the last time Kentucky and Texas A&M played each other was in 1953. For most of Saturday’s game, both teams seemed determined to go back to an old-school style defensive battle. A&M rode a massive advantage in time of possession to eventually grinding out the victory.

The game’s key plays struck in quick succession in the fourth quarter, with A&M punt returner Roshaaud Paul returning a punt 43 yards. Two plays later, a Kellen Mond pass went through the hands of his intended target, but settled in the belly of tight end Jace Sternberger, who took it 46 yards for the game’s decisive score. It broke a lengthy 7-7 deadlock between the two teams.

About six minutes later, A&M was looking to ice the game when Kellen Mond fumbled on a 3rd-and-short carry. The loose ball was grabbed by safety Darius West, who returned it 40 yards down the sideline for a game-tying score with just over four minutes to play.

In the opening half, Kentucky scored first, with speedy receiving Lynn Bowden taking a short pass and motoring 54 yards to the end zone with 1:10 left in the first quarter. The pass, which was merely a flip, was UK QB Terry Wilson’s third scoring strike of the season. A&M retaliated with a yard scoring pass from QB Kellen Mond to Quartney Davis with only 1:14 left before halftime.

The inability of Kentucky back Benny Snell to crack the Aggie defense was one of the game’s biggest stories. Snell, who entered play as the SEC’s leading rusher was held to just 23 first half yards by A&M, which was allowing less than 81 rushing yard per game, also best in the SEC. Through three quarters, the A&M defense held Kentucky to just 145 total yards. Even after a potentially game-changing turnover early in the fourth quarter, Kentucky could not move the ball on A&M and ended up punting it back. It took West’s fumble return to give UK enough punch to draw even.

A&M was led by Williams, who was both the Aggies’ leading rusher and receiver for most of the night, after a 32-yard reception which set up A&M’s score to break even. The Aggies’ led the time of possession battle throughout, and despite cracking Kentucky territory twice in the third quarter, emerged with no points in the period. A&M opening possession of the fourth quarter also moving into Kentucky ground, before a deflected pass was intercepted by Kentucky safety Darius West. Kentucky lived dangerously throughout the evening and finally broke on Mond’s pass, which was deflected to Sternberger, only to respond on West’s return.

Kentucky has an off week next before they prepare to host Vanderbilt on Oct. 20. The Wildcats will hope to rebound  from their first defeat of the season and grab their fourth SEC win of the year.

The Aggies will head to South Carolina for their second West/East matchup of the year.